By our correspondent
KARACHI: Pakistan coaching consultant Graham Roberts has asked former captain Mohammad Essa to reconsider his retirement decision.
“You need to re-consider your retirement as Pakistan direly needs your services as a player,” Roberts has told Essa after watching him during KESC’s match against Pak Elektron Limited (PEL) in the Premier League in Lahore a few days back.
“I will help you and the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to reach a compromise. It is not the right time for you to become a coach,” Roberts told Essa. However, ‘The News’ learnt that Essa promised Roberts that he would come back to the squad on a conditional basis.
“I will come out of retirement if the PFF accepts my demands,” Essa told former English footballer. Essa had retired in protest along with prime goalie Jaffar Khan during the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh last year after falling out with then coach George Kottan. The PFF unwillingly offered him to join the team for the Asian Games but he refused to come out of retirement.